Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has explained why his government terminated the appointments of 5,000 secondary school teachers employed by his predecessor in office, Obong Godswill Akpabio.
Governor Emmanuel faulted the procedure for recruiting the teachers, which he said was hastily done in the last days of Akpabio’s administration.
“Even the bible says if the foundation is not right, what can the righteous man do?” a Government House press release quoted Governor Emmanuel as telling journalists on Wednesday, when he landed at the Akwa Ibom Airport.
“We have tried to see how we could get something out of that recruitment process, but believe me, the foundation was very faulty.”
Emmanuel repeated what he had often said about the recruitment – that there was a syndicate which had given out fake appointment letters to thousands of unqualified applicants. He said that prompted the cancelation of the recruitment.
The release said Gov. Emmanuel warned that the administration is not ready to bow to sentiments, adding that he would ensure that the right decisions are made in the interest of the Akwa Ibom people.
“If we are putting people to teach our children, please let us leave sentiments apart and go for the right people,” the governor reportedly said. “We need to make sure that they went through the right processes, and have the right qualifications.
“We are assuring the 5000 people that they need not worry, when we are calling for aptitude test, you need not re-apply, just walk into the venue of the exercise with that appointment letter and justify that you are qualified to teach our children.”
The cancellation was first announced few days ago by the Head of Civil Service Mr. Ekereobong Akpan, before the latest remark by the governor.
Meanwhile, a lawyer and human rights activist from the state, Inibehe Effiong, has criticized the action of the government, describing it as illegal and insensitive.